Lesson Learned
by ThereseZ
Summary: FAM Zorro: Diego and Felipe teach the alcalde and the pueblo citizens a lesson they will not soon forget.


**Lesson Learned**

`Ah, Diego, Felipe! I think it's time to set that plan of yours in motion,' said Don Alejandro as he entered the cave. He held a letter up in the air. `This just arrived by messenger from Monterey, and one of the vaqueros told me that de Soto has imposed another tax.'  
Don Alejandro smiled as the two men lowered the swords they had been practicing with.  
`You know, Diego, it still surprises me to see you wielding a sword.'  
`Well, Father, you did many times. Though of course you did not know it was me,' he conceded. `Now, what were you saying about a new tax?'  
`Oh yes, the alcalde has really done it this time. He wants everyone to pay tax on the food and drink they buy. Victoria will not be happy with this one!' Don Alejandro replied.  
He grinned at his son's expression at the mention of the señorita, and winked at Felipe.  
Felipe turned to his father and gestured, but Diego shook his head.  
`No, Felipe. This time Zorro doesn't ride. In fact, Zorro will never ride again.'  
Felipe began signing rapidly. Diego chuckled at the distressed look on his face.  
`Don't worry, Felipe! We have been practicing for two months straight. You will have little trouble with de Soto, and there is no doubt in my mind that you can take on several lancers should the need arise.'  
Diego put his arm around the young man's shoulders and turned him towards the passage leading to the hacienda.  
`Now go change, quickly, so my father can show off his new grandson in town.'  
As Felipe ascended the steps out of the cave, Don Alejandro turned to Diego.  
`What do you think Victoria will say about all this?' he asked.  
`I wish I knew,' Diego replied.  
Don Alejandro gave him a searching look.  
`I wish I could talk to her beforehand, give her some time to digest my identity, but I really don't see how,' he continued. `I cannot ride as Zorro to oppose this tax. Not anymore.' While his father nodded in understanding, Diego sighed, `I hope she takes it well.'  
`Only one way to find out,' said his father, smiling reassuringly. `I'll go check on Felipe.'  
Diego nodded.  
`Good. I'll see you in town.'  
As Don Alejandro disappeared into the passageway out of the cave, his son called after him, `Father! Don't forget to bring that letter!'  
He barely heard his father's chuckle and response.  
`I won't, Diego.'

`Hola, Victoria,' said Don Alejandro as he entered the tavern. `I would like to introduce my grandson Don Felipe de la Vega!'  
`Nice to meet you, Don Felipe,' she said teasingly. She smiled as the young man shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. `You look very nice in your suit. Like a real caballero.'  
He waved his hands in indignation.  
`I'm sorry, Felipe. Of course you are a real caballero,' Victoria replied with a twinkle in her eyes. The twinkle vanished as she turned to Don Alejandro. `Have you heard about this new tax? He wants my customers to pay him for everything they eat and drink in my tavern! A consumption tax he calls it.'  
`Yes, Victoria, I heard.'  
`And he's just sitting there! Eating his lunch like nothing is wrong,' she continued angrily. `And, of course, the military is exempt yet again.'  
`You still seem to have plenty of patrons,' said Don Alejandro as he glanced around the room.  
There were farmers, vaqueros and several caballeros. Some lancers were relaxing near the stairs; and the alcalde and Sergeant Mendoza were sitting at a table in the middle of the room.  
`They all expect Zorro to show up and solve their problem for them!' exclaimed Victoria. `They don't even bother to stand up for themselves or others anymore.'  
Felipe gave her a nod, pointed at himself and walked over to the alcalde. He waved his hands in front of the man's face to get his attention, and began gesturing wildly.  
`De la Vega!' bellowed de Soto. `What is this?'  
`This, señor, is my grandson,' said Don Alejandro, moving to stand next to the newest member of his family. `My son signed the adoption papers only this morning.'  
`Your grandson?' the alcalde repeated in astonishment.  
Don Alejandro nodded curtly.  
`Oh, congratulations, Don Alejandro!' said Mendoza cheerfully. `You really dressed the part, Felipe. Look, Alcalde, he's even carrying a sword!'  
`Yes, yes, Mendoza. I can see that,' said de Soto impatiently. `What I wanted to know, de la Vega, is what he is trying to say.'  
The young man began gesturing again.  
`Well, Alcalde, it seems my grandson feels he has a responsibility to the people of this pueblo, since he is now a caballero. He says he wants to duel you, and if he wins you rescind the new tax.'  
Felipe nodded in confirmation.  
`Felipe! You don't have to do this,' interjected Victoria.  
The young man slowly signed something everyone in the tavern immediately understood to be about Zorro.  
`You feel Zorro is not the only one who can fight the alcalde? You think Zorro should retire and marry me?' she asked astonished.  
He nodded, and she returned his smile.  
`Yes, wouldn't that be something?'  
`That would be something indeed, señorita,' growled de Soto. `All right, boy, you've got a deal. I will happily teach you a lesson.'  
`Well then, why don't you step outside, sir,' said Don Alejandro as he motioned his grandson toward the plaza.  
`Sergeant, prepare the lancers. Zorro may try to interfere in this duel,' the alcalde whispered as he made to follow the de la Vegas out of the tavern.

News of the duel quickly spread through the small pueblo, and within minutes the plaza was filled with onlookers.  
Don Alejandro addressed the two duelists. `Señores, this is to be a duel with swords. You may not use other weapons. Since I would like to keep my grandson alive and whole, you will fight until one of you yields. I assume these conditions are acceptable to you both.'  
Both men nodded in agreement. As Don Alejandro moved aside, they faced each other and saluted. Trying to take the young man by surprise, de Soto immediately took the offensive. However, as the alcalde lunged, Felipe easily sidestepped the attack. Infuriated the man continued to lunge and thrust, but Felipe parried every blow.  
`Come on, Felipe! You can do it!' yelled Victoria.  
To the displeasure of the alcalde, several people in the crowd echoed her call.  
`Would you be quiet?' he roared. `He can't hear you anyway!'  
The encouragement did not appear lost on Felipe though as he seemed to gain confidence and forced de Soto into a defensive posture. However, after only a few lunges the young man looked like he was getting tired. His footwork became sloppy and as the alcalde lunged he barely managed to parry. With a satisfied smirk on his face de Soto lunged again. He missed his target as Felipe quickly sidestepped his attack and brought his own sword down on the alcalde's blade, knocking it out of his hand in a move rivaling Zorro's. Before de Soto could pick up his sword, Felipe thrust the point of his blade under the man's chin. Nobody moved as they stood in complete silence. After a moment the alcalde took a step back.  
`Who would have thought it? The boy actually shows some proficiency with a sword,' he said in astonishment.  
`I should think so, Alcalde,' said a voice from the crowd. Diego pushed himself forward into the circle of onlookers to stand next to his son. `After all, I trained him.'  
Whispers ensued as people noticed a sword swinging uncharacteristically at his side.  
`You, Don Diego? You must be the worst swordsman in the entire pueblo,' scoffed the alcalde. `You might even be the most inept swordsman in the territory.'  
`Alcalde, you wound me,' replied Diego. `You of all people should know of my acting abilities. Did we not play in a passion play together?'  
He grinned at the alcalde in a very Zorro-like manner and in a deep and familiar voice continued, `Now, since Felipe won this duel, your new tax is rescinded.'

The gasp he heard to his left told Diego that realization had struck Victoria. As she started forward Don Alejandro grabbed her arm.  
`No, my dear. If you get hurt he will never forgive himself.'  
`It can't be,' whispered de Soto.  
Diego drew his sword and held it out for all to see. `Oh yes, it can. Perhaps you recognize this.'  
The people in the plaza began whispering to one another again.  
`Lancers! Mendoza!' bellowed the alcalde. `Arrest them both!'  
`But Alcalde,' said the astonished sergeant as he moved forward. `That's Don Diego and Felipe!'  
`No, you imbecile! It's Zorro and his accomplice.'  
`Don Diego? You are Zorro?'  
`Naturally, Sergeant,' answered Diego.  
The crowd began cheering, but quickly fell silent as lancers with drawn swords surrounded Diego and Felipe.  
`I'm sorry, Don Diego,' said Sergeant Mendoza regretfully.  
`It's quite all right, Sergeant. We have no intention of being arrested.' As he spoke Diego turned to face his son. `Hijo,' he said, raising his sword.  
Felipe smiled and mimicked his father. Simultaneously they turned and, back-to-back, they saluted the lancers. Wide-eyed, Victoria watched the ensuing battle. As both Diego and Felipe began disarming lancers, Diego's voice rang out over the plaza.  
`Amigos! This time I would appreciate a little help!'  
`Anybody who helps them will also be arrested!' yelled de Soto.  
`Oh, come now, Alcalde. You cannot arrest everyone!' called a grinning Diego.  
The pueblo citizens began to move. Caballeros held several lancers at sword-point, while others were tied up by a group of vaqueros. One lancer was even restrained by children clinging to his arms and legs.

The alcalde scrambled to retrieve his sword from the plaza dust as the last lancer was subdued by the crowd. Before he could pick it up, however, someone stepped on the blade.  
`I'm sorry, mi alcalde, but I cannot let you arrest Don Diego,' said Mendoza, while he refused to remove his boot. `He is not a criminal.'  
`You're right, Sergeant, he is not!' Don Alejandro called cheerfully over the crowd. `He has been pardoned.'  
`He has what?' exclaimed de Soto and Victoria at the same time.  
Silence fell over the plaza as Diego and Felipe moved towards the alcalde.  
`I've been pardoned,' Diego stated forcefully. `And so have my accomplices. Felipe, who has been helping me from the beginning.' He put his hand on the young man's shoulder in appreciation before he continued. `And my father, although he didn't know until Gilberto died.'  
`And Señorita Escalante,' the alcalde added, but Diego shook his head.  
`No, I never told her,' he replied.  
He did not dare look at Victoria, and tried to ignore the mumbling onlookers.  
`She didn't know?' de Soto asked in amazement. He glanced at Victoria, who stared at Diego with an unreadable expression. He grinned wickedly as he continued, `Well then, I'm going to enjoy watching you on the wrong side of the señorita's temper!'  
`On the contrary, señor,' said Victoria.  
Diego looked at her in surprise, and saw a smile appear on her face.  
`Victoria?' he said hesitantly.  
She ran forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. With a smile, Felipe quickly plucked the sword from his father's hand and carefully returned it to it's scabbard.  
Diego embraced her and whispered, `Oh, Victoria, I was so afraid you would be angry. I thought you wouldn't love me.'  
The alcalde scowled at her cheerful response. `I always loved you, Diego! How could I not, when you were there for me? Always. You just never made a move, and Zorro did.'  
He smiled down at her with a raised eyebrow, and she realized her mistake.  
`You did make a move. I just didn't know it was you.' She smiled back at him and exclaimed, `You proposed!'  
`He proposed?' blurted Don Alejandro and de Soto as one. The people around them began whispering.  
`What else did you forget to tell me, Diego?' his father bawled.  
Diego tore his eyes away from Victoria's to glance at Felipe, who gave him the slightest of nods. `Felipe can hear,' he proclaimed. Every eye turned toward Felipe, who shifted uncomfortably. To save his son from further scrutiny he continued, `He regained his hearing while I was at the university, Father. He dared not tell you for fear that you would treat him differently.'  
`Treat him differently? Why?' exclaimed Don Alejandro. `I love the boy!'  
`I know, Father, and so does he,' said Diego soothingly. `I discovered his hearing shortly after my return, when I decided to become Zorro. We agreed to keep his hearing a secret.'  
`Why?' asked Victoria, looking up at him and asking the question that was on everyone's mind.  
`Because people are not nearly as guarded about what they say in front of a deaf servant boy as they are in front of a caballero. Felipe was the perfect assistant for Zorro,' he replied, smiling at the young man.  
Felipe gestured at Diego with a pleading look.  
With a nod Diego called over the plaza, `Felipe begs you all to forgive him for his deception.' Lowering his eyes to Victoria's face, he added, `And I beg you all to forgive me for mine, though, being much larger, I understand mine is much harder to excuse.'  
`I have forgiven you already, Diego,' replied Victoria. `And Felipe too. After all you did for this pueblo as Zorro, who could still blame you?'  
`I can,' scolded de Soto.  
`I expected nothing else, Ignacio,' Diego said dryly, while he hugged Victoria. `But I really never cared about your opinion.'  
`I agree with Señorita Escalante, Don Diego,' Sergeant Mendoza exclaimed with a big smile on his face. The people in the plaza cheered in agreement.  
With a defeated expression Alcalde de Soto turned to march into his office, but he was stopped by Diego calling after him, `Alcalde! I told you once that if you dealt with these people fairly and openly there was nothing they would not do for you. Consider this your second chance. Be a just alcalde and you may yet make your appointment here a success, and my father and I will happily recommend to the governor that you be promoted out of here. Since he got me pardoned, you know my father's name carries some weight with the governor.' Diego grinned at the alcalde over Victoria's head and warned, `However, continue with your injustice and you will have to answer to..'  
`Oh, let me guess! To you?' de Soto interrupted him.  
`No, Alcalde. To the citizens of this pueblo! Today they learned that they do not need a masked man dressed in black to solve their problems for them. They can do it themselves as long as they stand together. Men, women and children. From caballeros to peons.' Indicating Sergeant Mendoza, Diego added, `Even lancers.'  
Growling, the alcalde stomped into his office and slammed the door.

Diego ignored the excited chatter of the people around him and focused his attention on the woman still standing in his arms.  
`Victoria, I'm so sorry.'  
`Oh, Diego, don't be,' she hushed him. `I understand why you did what you did.'  
`What did I do to deserve you?' Diego whispered into her hair.  
`You fought for everything I believe in,' she replied with shining eyes. `I love you, Diego.'  
Diego caressed her cheek.  
`I love you, Victoria. I don't think I ever told you that.'  
`No, you didn't,' she confirmed. She slipped her hands around his neck and added, `But I knew.'  
Don Alejandro cleared his throat loudly as the couple moved in to kiss each other.  
`Wait until you are properly married, son.'  
Many people in the plaza laughed, since they sincerely doubted it would have been the couple's first kiss.  
`What do you think, Victoria?' Diego whispered to her.  
As if she read his mind, she replied, `Why not, Diego?'  
They smiled at each other in understanding.  
`Padre!' Diego called over the plaza.  
Padre Benites pushed through the crowd and looked at the couple expectantly.  
`Padre, we wish to be married,' Diego told him. `Today.' With a look that would brook no opposition, Diego added, `With your permission of course, Father.'  
Don Alejandro beamed at them and said to the padre, `It's not like I would manage to keep them apart.'  
Victoria flushed and Diego groaned.  
`Don't say it, Father.'  
`Say what?' Don Alejandro asked innocently, knowing full well what his son was talking about. He put his arm around Felipe's shoulder and cheerfully said, `I'm happy with the grandson I have.'  
Felipe grinned at Diego and rapidly signed something.  
Victoria looked at Diego in confusion and asked, `What did he say?'  
Much to her surprise, he blushed and looked flustered.  
`Felipe demands a brother or sister by the end of the year.'

_Author's note: This is my first piece of fan fiction ever. Please let me know what you think :)_


End file.
